UPDATE: Democrats re-elect John Walsh of Abington as party chairman

The Massachusetts Democratic Party on Wednesday night re-elected John Walsh of Abington to a second four-year term as its chairman.

The Patriot Ledger, Quincy, MA

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Posted Nov. 15, 2012 at 12:01 AM
Updated Nov 15, 2012 at 3:02 PM

Posted Nov. 15, 2012 at 12:01 AM
Updated Nov 15, 2012 at 3:02 PM

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The Massachusetts Democratic Party on Wednesday night re-elected John Walsh of Abington to a second four-year term as its chairman.

Walsh is widely credited with building a network of grassroots volunteers, donors and activists who helped produce a high turnout in the 2010 and 2012 elections, and helped sweep contests for statewide and federal offices in 2012, including the defeat of Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown last week by Senator-elect Elizabeth Warren.

“The 2010 election of Scott Brown to the US Senate and the election of a group of Tea Party Republicans to the Massachusetts House of Representatives later that same year were serious setbacks for us,” Walsh wrote in a letter indicating that he wanted to continue serving as party chairman.

“I am proud to have worked with you to reverse those results by electing Elizabeth Warren – a strong woman, finally (!) – to the US Senate last Tuesday and to begin the process of reversing the Tea Party gains in the Legislature that same day.”

Republicans emerged from the 2010 elections with 33 seats in the 160-seat House, where they doubled their numbers. But Democrats cut into their ranks last week and Republicans will enter the 2013-14 legislative session with 29 House members and just four members in the 40-seat Senate.

The only blemishes on Walsh’s record since taking over the party after running Patrick’s first campaign in 2006 were the 2010 loss of the seat held by the late Sen. Edward Kennedy and gains made by House Republicans in 2010.

After six years as chairman of the state Democratic Party, Walsh said he stills feels “prepared and energized.”

His Republican counterpart, Robert Maginn, wants to keep his job, too.

Maginn, who lives in Belmont, plans to run for re-election to the GOP post in January when the state committee will deliberate on its future leadership, party spokesman Tim Buckley said.

Maginn could face opposition from Republicans frustrated that their party lost ground it gained in 2010, saw Democrats take the Senate seat held by Brown, and was swept again in congressional races.